What do you wish people knew about dogs before getting one?

[JamSandle]

Mine would probably be...they need a lot more love and exercise than most people can realistically give.

It was eye opening to be the person, not with the calm, chilled pupster, but the one hanging on to a lead for dear life as my girl lunged, twirled, barked and growled for no obvious reason. I thought I knew dogs.

Our poor elderly neighbours had this with their final dog (they always took middle-aged rescues). God knows what the rescue were thinking to give a couple of 80-year-olds a dog-reactive young staffy cross. We and other neighbours took over her walks in the end after the lunging became too much for them. And he was ex-Navy with a voice that made most dogs instantly halt and come to heel smartly.

Think very carefully what type of dog would suit your lifestyle and how much time you can realistically give a dog.
Cute looks or I had one as a child doesn't cut it.

Buyers beware, if you are after the cute puppy looks and instant gratification, you are off to a BAD start!

That training doesn't stop after a 10 week puppy class, you should continue training class until the dog is 12-18 months. Training in a group, rather than individual, will teach your dog valuable social skills.

And last, no a puppy or untrained dog isn't the answer to depression or DC additional needs.

I just wasn't prepared for how much I love her. Ive always had cats and yes of course I love my cats and it's devastating when they die but jesus.......my girl is my world and I live in dread of losing her. Everything else I was prepared for but not this.......and although she's only 4 and is a hardy breed so should go on for years yet, the thought of her not being here.....I cannot comprehend.

They should come with a warning....major knob head and stealer of hearts.

That they only have short lives and so to us, our dogs are only a small part of our life. But to them, we are their whole life.

Spend as much time as you can with them because to them, you are their entire life.

If your mild mannered neighbour finally snaps and hammers on your door shouting “shut your bloody dog up” like Johnny in The Shining , then maybe rethink your training regime and Do Some

Be aware that working lines and show lines might as well be different breeds. If you want a nice chilled gundog type, get yourself a show line Labrador not a German wirehaired pointer whose dam works under the gun and whose sire is a field trial champion.

Look out for the coefficient of inbreeding. Anything above 5% should make you pause. Anything above 6%, hard no.

Any breed with a disease named after it is probably a bad idea.
Any breed with a squashed nose or loads of wrinkles or a very long back is also a bad idea.
Health tests matter. Check out which are recommended for the breed and whether they have been done.

1. They are not toys. They are living creatures of a different species and so will have needs, preferences, wants, fears, likes, dislikes all of their own and cannot just be programmed. They will react like a dog, not like a human. They will think like a dog, not like a human. And they will behave like a dog, not like a human. It doesn't matter what kind of personality or character you hoped for; the dog in front of you is the dog you have and the dog you have to work with.
2. There are loads of things that can go wrong with their health that is expensive but not invasive to fix. It's all very well telling yourself you'd never put your dog through extensive vet treatment but there are genuine things that could cost £5-10k to fix, that you would not dream of putting a dog down for and that are fixed without too much stress or upset to the dog.
3. That the majority of 'bad' behaviour is helped by understanding the underlying emotion and addressing that. It's 90% of the battle. But it's complicated and requires patience and humility.

Not all dogs will settle in a busy cafe and you might have to remove them.

(awful experience this weekend with two barking/squealing dogs and two adults who continued with their coffee)

I don't have a dog, but if that had been my children, we would have been outside to quietly calm down away from those whose cafe visit we were spoiling.

I agree but the crating issue always causes friction on any forum because it seems to be the modern way of rearing puppies. Ours have all been "free-range" puppies at home although we have dog gates dotted around to keep them away from stairs etc or confine to the back of the house if we have non-doggy visitors.

I think with the everyday living/mental stimulus aspect it's partly about finding the right dog to suit your lifestyle. I know I couldn't cope with a high energy dog or one with a strong prey drive but a guarding breed suits me because as long as they have something to look after they're pretty content. The downside of that is that they get awful separation anxiety if their "flock" is not there...

With regard to not having another - we said that when we lost our boy three years ago but I'm typing this now with a 4 month old pup snoozing under the table. Never say never.

If you haven't had a dog before - doborrow doggy as we do - I have 3 different ones quite regularly for odd nights or 2 weeks while the owners go on holiday

One is a very laid back cockapoo - male , 3 years old- hates walks and rain !!

One is a female working spaniel- almost 2 - very loving and lovely natured but never stops- quite hard work but adorable

One is a coton de tulear- female 12 years old- a real sweety

It's made me realise I love having them - but in doses that suit me and without the expense and full time commitment

I don't actually agree that they need loads of exercise or multiple walks a day (unless you purposefully go for a high energy breed).

But I do think they need much more company and stimulation than most people provide for them. I see way too many people leaving their dogs home alone for hours on end but justify it because the dog gets two walks or goes out with a dog walker at midday.

It's not okay and it's not fair.

They need company and stimulation and are definitely not human babies.

You should research and understand training and what you want from it before you have a pup in the house.

What do you mean by ‘being treated like dogs’, just out of curiosity?

Yes – it really hits me that they do not have the option of leaving!

They are expensive to look after them properly.

That you'll end up with fur everywhere, constantly, even just after you've swept or vacc'd.
That between the ages of 7ish months and 1 year, d dog will almost overnight 'lose' their training and become feral!
To get your D Dog a wee pal. You hardly notice another dog or two.

They are not fur babies. Treating them as babies shows disrespect for the amazing animal they are. Buying a dog breed that is the latest fashion i.e french bulldog or Daschund makes you a twat.

That even if you buy from a responsible breeder, do all of your homework about their lineage, health and pedigree, you can still be really unlucky and end up with a dog with health issues.

That they cost WAY more than you think if you want to ensure they have decent food, up to date flea and worming treatments, innoculations, toys, daycare if you go out etc and that insurance is eye wateringly expensive once they have had a serious illness.

That you cannot ever be spontaneous about a day out again

And that they take your heart and soul but despite all of the above, you give both willingly every day, and you are heartbroken as you see them ageing.

That some people treat them like humans and go overboard in terms of time commitment - and it’s not necessary. Standards for dog ownership have been raised incredibly high and sometimes are unrealistic and unnecessary.

Over 50 years we’ve had dogs do just fine with one good walk a day, dogs perfectly content to be left at home with the run of the house for 6-8 hours while we’re out at work. Or just a short walk today because XYZ family situation came up, and make up for it tomorrow with two long walks.

It’s all OK. Happy, healthy, thriving, well trained, well loved, long lived dogs, manageable with raising busy families and working and holidays etc.

But yes they’re still a big commitment.

That a puppy under your desk in winter is one of the nicest ways to keep your feet warm when working from home.

That you probably need to find somewhere else for them to sleep on a swelteringly hot August day...

How much you miss them when they die.

Yes, it took me three years to get another dog after I lost my last one. I cried for months and months. Finally I did get another one because my home didnt feel right without one but this really made me hesitate, its so utterly devastating.

So sorry about your loss, it truly is devastating.

Likewise; it took us almost 3 years to feel ready for another dog after we lost our boy and I still can't look at his photos without crying. The physical presence of a new pup is reassuring but you never really stop missing the lost one...

🙄